For the last two months, horse owners have been hyper-aware of Equine Herpes. Horse owners took it upon themselves to get information. While educating yourself about horse health issues and keeping up to date on current events is important, it is equally important to make sure the information comes “straight from the horse’s mouth.”

The phrase “straight from the horse’s mouth” is either thought to have originated from to the ability to correctly determine a horse’s age by looking at their teeth, or from horse racing, where people closest to the horse would be able to predict the winning horses. Either way, the phrase means to get first-hand information from the source. This horse-savvy phrase is important to remember when looking for information. Make sure to evaluate the source and credibility of the information.

Social media, such as Facebook and Twitter and online forums, can be great places to share information but can also breed rumours and create hysteria. Many status updates spread more fear than information. Many updates included alarmist phrases, such as this one posted May 21: “Deadly Horse Virus Spreads.” Other sites said that the virus was spreading “out of control.” And some information being passed through social media was simply wrong. It is no wonder that people responded with panic, as one person wrote on an online forum, “I must say I am completely freaked out! I am afraid to take my horse anywhere!”

Before panicking, remember that rumours spread faster than viruses. Use common sense and make sure that the information you hear or read is from an authoritative source.